Shares of Synairgen plc (LON: SNG) fell 4.68% after the biotech company announced that it had completed the recruitment of patients for its home COVID-19 trial.
The biotech company said that it had recruited 120 patients for the phase II trial assessing the performance of its inhaled formulation of interferon-beta-1a (SNG001) treatment within the home environment.
The results of the phase II trial are expected in Q2 2021. The phase II trial is being conducted in two parts, with the first part being done on 101 patients within a hospital environment.
Synairgen published positive results from the hospital trial in The Lancet in November. The home trial targets patients over the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions who will receive the treatment package via courier. All trial assessments will be done remotely via video.
Richard Marsden, Synairgen’s CEO, said: “The trial is both a test of the drug and a test of how technology can be utilised to deliver and manage the administration of an inhaled broad-spectrum antiviral to vulnerable patients in the context of a pandemic.”
Adding:
“We believe this methodology and treatments such as SNG001 could be invaluable alongside vaccines, now and in the future, to fight highly pathogenic viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.”
Marsden further explained that the trial aims to reduce the need to transport infected patients to minimise healthcare workers' exposure to the virus.
Synairgen share price
Synairgen shares fell 4.68% to trade at 163p having fallen from Tuesday’s closing price of 171p.